This invention relates to a low insertion force connector in which a pair of connectors are fitted together with a low insertion force by cam members.
Conventionally, a large insertion force has been required for fitting multi-pole connectors, having many terminals, together.
Therefore, it has been proposed to use a cam member for fitting a pair of connectors together with a low insertion force.
For fitting the pair of connectors together by the use of the cam member, the cam member is drawn out into a predetermined position, and then is pushed in so as to fit the pair of connectors together. However, this process is not entirely effective since before pushing them the step of drawing out the cam member is needed.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, there has been proposed a connector assembly (disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 61-203581) in which a cam member, beforehand drawn out, is pushed in, and then a pair of connectors are fitted together.
More specifically, in FIG. 1, this connector assembly 80 comprises a first housing 81, a second housing 82, and a cam member 83. The cam member 83 is mounted on the first housing 81, and in this condition, when the second housing 82 is fitted into the first housing 81 as shown in FIG. 2(a), cam followers 84 on the second housing 82 are moved in slots 85 in the first housing 81 and respective cam slots 86 in the cam member 83, as shown in FIG. 2(b). As a result, the first housing 81 and the second housing 82 are fitted together.
However, during the time when the first housing 81, having the cam member 83 attached thereto, and the second housing 82 are transported independently of each other, there is a possibility that the cam member 83, attached to the first housing 81, is damaged.
Therefore, in order to prevent damage to the cam member 83, there has been proposed a connector with a cam member, which is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. 6-54255.
More specifically, in FIG. 3, this connector 90 comprises a female connector 91, a male connector 92, and the cam member 93. The cam member 93 is attached to the female connector 91 having male terminals a retained therein, and in this condition, the male connector 92, having female terminals b mounted therein, is fitted into the female connector 91. As a result, cam followers 94 on the male connector 92 are fitted respectively into cam grooves 95 in the cam member 93, as shown in FIG. 4(a). As the cam followers 94 are forced into the respective cam grooves 95, the cam member 93 is moved in a direction p. Then, when the cam member 93 is pushed in a direction g as shown in FIG. 4(b), the female connector 91 and the male connector 92 are fitted together with a low insertion force, as shown in FIG. 4(c).
However, the cam member 93 is pushed into the female connector 91 only in one direction, and therefore there has been encountered a problem that the operation of pushing the cam member 93 into the female connector 91 is troublesome depending on the position of mounting of the female connector 91, for example, on an automobile.